Assessment Insanity

I'm not a big fan of standardized tests -- even though I score one. Not that I'm rationalizing, but the test I score is for higher-level students, and I don't find that as obnoxious. My problem with most standardized tests is two-fold: I don't think they are generally an accurate assessment of either knowledge or learning (and, yes, I see those as two separate things), and preparation for the tests take up so much time in the classroom that students can't learn what they need to at any given grade level. As part of my teaching duties, I had to administer such a test in my classes today. I was given very little explanation about scoring the essays, and some of the information I was given was contradictory. But I played along and had my students write the essays, at the expense of fifty minutes of classtime in each section I'm teaching.

Because I received this directive after I had written my syllabus, I had no option other than to offer extra credit based on performance. I wasn't sure what other incentive would make the students care, at least in my daytime class. I think the students in my evening class would do pretty much anything I asked them to. They fully trust my judgment and know that if I'm telling them they need to do something, there's a reason. I explained to both classes as well as I could why they had to write the essay -- and I'm sure they noted at least a little disdain in my tone.

I have a feeling that most teachers/instructors share my feeling about this kind of testing. And most of them probably do what I did -- waste valuable classtime to make administration happy.